Hypocrisy and Heresy: The Enemies Of The Truth

01/13/08 07:37 AM Filed in: Christian Teachings

It has been brought to my attention by the Lord that the two great enemies of the truth are hypocrisy and heresy. The Pharisees were a powerful and prospering Judaic denomination during the time of Jesus Christ’s three year public ministry on earth, and they constantly opposed Him at every turn. Jesus Christ endorsed the teachings of the Pharisees because, "they sit in the seat of Moses," so He told His followers to do as they say, but not as they do, saying, “Beware the leaven (sins) of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy.” So, it could be accurately stated that the theology of the Pharisees was sound, but their behavior was unsound. Hypocrisy is acting one way in public and another way in private, something we are all guilty of, wouldn't you agree? But the hypocrisy of the Pharisees went beyond that because they acted one way in public and another way in private all the while, self-righteously and mercilessly condemning others who were not living up to the standards of the Law of Moses and the traditions of Jewish religion. It would not have been so bad had they not been guilty of the same or similar sins! " Jesus said, to the religious leaders who were going to stone a woman caught in adultery; "He among you who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." Not one in the group could do it. Jesus also said, "mercy rejoices against judgment," and when judgment is dispensed by fallible human beings in religious, political, or any other positions of authority, it must be done from a posture of heavenly wisdom, grace, and mercy for in to be truly just and for the end results to bring about justice in the society. The latter is what Jesus and His apostles referred to as "righteous judgment" as opposed to what the Pharisees were up to. By the way, Jesus told His disciples that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the Scribes and Pharisees, they would in no way enter the kingdom of Heaven.

The other powerful Judaic denomination on the scene during Christ’s ministry was the Sadducees. Once, while Jesus was teaching, they tried to set a theological trap for Him. He exposed their deceptive intentions and reproved them for their ignorance of the scriptures. They did not believe, as the (Torah) Hebrew scriptures teach, in the resurrection from the dead, and they even taught against it. So, we see that the sin of the Sadducees was heresy.

The tragic reality is that there are Christian denominations today, in abundance, that are continuing in this erroneous human propensity by promoting heresy and practicing hypocrisy!

I am a bit apprehensive to continue this article with the concern that if I do, I might offend some main line denominational Evangelical Christian believers as well as some Pentecostal Charismatic Christian believers. Nevertheless, I must continue because I am somewhat of an ally of both movements, being a Protestant myself, and a Evangelical Pentecostal Charismatic Christian believer.. Therefore, I am writing to my friends and family and in the words of the proverbs; “A rebuke is better than a kiss,” and “faithful are the wounds of a friend.”

You may have noticed over the last several years and right up to the present time that some of the movers and shakers in the Pentecostal Charismatic movement, whom I know to be extremely sound in their theological understanding and teaching, have been exposed for some of the most atrocious hypocritical behavior. There have been homosexual and heterosexual sins practiced and exposed; there has been financial malfeasance and covetous greed practiced and exposed; there has been selfish ambition and spiritual pride practiced and exposed. The latter in the midst of a powerful spiritual revival!

It is bad enough that these sins and many others have been and are still being practiced by those who endorse the sound doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an additional act of grace in keeping with the graces of repentance from dead works, faith towards God, and water baptism in the name of the Lord. But, the real horror is that these sins have been and are being practiced by some in spiritual leadership! God forbid, but it is true! It is, therefore, my discernment that there are some leaders and followers in the Pentecostal Charismatic movement who are Pharisaical in nature because they are sound theologically, but unsound in their behavior. There are an unacceptable number of constituents in charismatic Christian circles who have not practiced what they have preached or personalized their revelations. The reason for this is that it is not good enough to only be born of the Spirit and baptized with the Spirit, but we must also train ourselves to remain filled with the Spirit, live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit. This, of course, requires being led by the Spirit so that we won't fulfill the works of the flesh (sin nature). "It is those who are led by the Spirit of God who are the sons of God," and "Not every one who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he that does the will of My Father who is in Heaven."

In the same way that some in Pentecostal Charismatic leadership and congregations are guilty of Pharisaical behavior, being doctrinally sound, but hypocritical in the practice of that doctrine, there are many in Christian Evangelical leadership who are guilty of the sins of the Sadducees (heresy) because of their unsound theology regarding the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The largest Evangelical denomination in the world, the Southern Baptist Convention, and their leadership have recently officially renounced the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. They have forbidden anyone associated or affiliated with their organization from practicing or preaching it. It is my discernment that this behavior is perhaps the grossest form of heresy known to the church in the two thousand plus years of her existence! There are also a large number of Evangelical denominations who have rejected this fundamental principle of the doctrine of the church and in so doing they have resisted both the full counsel as well as the full gospel of Christ. God forbid, but it is true.

My friends, it is high time to humble ourselves and pray; seek God’s face and turn from our wicked hypocritical and heretical ways. It is time to repent of having given heed to seducing spirits (that inspire hypocrisy) and doctrines of devils, (that inspire heresy). Then God will hear our prayers from Heaven; He will forgive our sins, and He will heal our land. But not before we do our part. REPENT!